It's no illusion. It's no trick. The Illusionists are actually appearing in Prince George.
The five-star stage extravaganza brings together a feast of the magician arts in one mainstage spectacle. There are card tricks, mind games, feats of daring, slights of hand, now-you-see-them-now-you-don'ts, great escapes, and many other illustrious lies and delightful deceits that have been beloved entertainment mainstays for centuries.
Most monarchs only had one jester in their courts, but The Illusionists bring five multitalented magicians to CN Centre on Tuesday. Fresh from their long run on the Broadway stage, we will see Jeff Hobson - The Trickster, Colin Cloud - The Deductionist, An Ha Lim - The Manipulator, Jonathan Goodwin - The Daredevil, and Kevin James is known as The Inventor. He told The Citizen how this pentacular spectacular came into being.
"Six years ago we were contacted by the producer to perform a three week job at the Sydney Opera House," he said.
"There was an amazing chemistry. We broke box office records and the show took off. Three weeks has turned into a six-year project."
Each of these performers had their own solo careers well underway when they got that serendipitous call, and The Illusionists show allows each one to bring their best acts out on stage, plus there are a couple of collaborative segments they would never have gotten to do with such high-caliber colleagues had they only ever worked alone.
"Instead of seeing one magician for two hours with the same vibe, you will get to see five different styles and points of view," The Inventor said. "We are all the best in our specialty. There is exciting music, lots of audience participation and I promise you will see things you have never seen before. There is lots of comedy throughout the show. Prepare to laugh and be surprised."
He gives a lot of credit, too, to the backstage crew. A show that's Broadway- and Sydney Opera House-grade has to deliver on all the technical and intangible elements. His personal favourite is the high-definition cameras that show the audience even the most intricate of stage action, so you don't miss a thing no matter what row you're seated in.
"Funnily enough, it is the audience that keeps the show fresh for us," he explained. "We use lots of people from the spectators and you just never know what they will say or do. It keeps us on our toes and in the moment. It really makes it fun for us."
The Illusionists is on the front lines of a new entertainment movement. James said a stereotype crept into popular culture that magic was for kids. It was either the stuff of birthday parties, or it was epic like the mega-tricks of David Copperfield, or it came only through television like Doug Henning. The Illusionists show puts magic back in the hands of the everyday audience - all ages, and all walks of life sharing the entertainment and technique of it all, no matter what language you speak.
It was Henning that first captured James's imagination. He had seen magicians before in his childhood, but the mystical Canadian inspired him on TV. James wasn't just wowed, he wanted to ignite the power of imagination the way Henning did.
"This was before the internet and I lived in a very small village in Michigan, population 2,000," he said.
"It was only me and six library books for several years. I was the only one checking them out. Then I found a magic shop about an hour drive away. That is when my education began. I began to collect magic books."
This was no hobby. He moved to L.A. intent on using the skills he'd researched, practiced and acquired. He started performing in public, got some international travel opportunities, and that grew to some TV segments. A network in Korea gave him his own show for three years. From Paris to Vegas, James was a going and growing magic commodity. He has now performed in 94 countries and even mystified the Obamas at the White House.
"I still have a lot of interesting ideas in my notebooks that I need to get on stage and share with the audience. I have a lot more to say," said The Inventor.
"When we grow up, you have to go to school, get a job, and pay the bills. When we are a child, everything is wonderous and amazing. That sense of wonder gets taken from us as we grow up. It is the magician's job to restore that feeling to adults. It is a very important calling. We take it very seriously. Come feel like a kid again, even if it is just for a couple of hours. You will be glad you did."
The Illusionists will be live and in the flesh on Tuesday night at CN Centre.
Tickets are on sale at the TicketsNorth website or in person at the CN Centre box office.
